Cops Block Funeral Rally Thrice

BY AUBREY SC MAKILAN
Bulatlat.com

Even as President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ordered the formation of a task force to investigate the killing of two militant leaders from Southern Tagalog, the police tried to stop the funeral rally on April 26 from reaching Mendiola thrice.

The funeral march started at 10 a.m. from Welcome Rotonda but barely two blocks into their march, the mourner-protesters were stopped by five police mobile patrols blocking the road. Negotiations with the police enabled the marchers to proceed.

The next barricade encountered was at the corner of Forbes St., this time augmented by a 10-wheeler truck.

Upon reaching Far Eastern University, just a few blocks away from Mendiola and the Malacañang Palace, the rally was stopped for the third time by at least 10 police mobile patrols, a dump truck, and fire trucks. In front were anti-riot policemen headed by a certain Col. Martinez and members of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, carrying high-powered firearms.

The protesters were eventually allowed to pass after another round of negotiations by mass leaders with the police.

Upon reaching Mendiola, rallyists insisted that they be allowed to enter the Palace to talk to the president. The police refused to grant their request. 

“Ni anino ng presidente, hindi natin nakita (We didn’t even see the President’s shadow)!” complained Bayan Muna Southern Tagalog coordinator Bani Cambronero.

In his speech, peasant leader Rafael Mariano asserted that the task force formed by Macapagal-Arroyo to investigate the murders will “only wash the bloody hands of Col. Jovito Palparan,” head of the 204^th Infantry Battalion operating in Mindoro and whom militants suspect to be responsible for human rights violations in the province.

The program was fired up by Adeliza Albarillo, survivor and witness to the Albarillo killings in Mindoro Oriental. She shared the pain of losing her parents and now, her second mother, Eden Marcellana.

“Pinatay ng mga militar ang mga magulang ko… May puso kayo – bato! May damdamin kayo – hangin (The military killed my parents…You don’t have feelings)!” Albarillo bitterly shouted at the police.

The program was highlighted by Orly’s speech, the widow of Eden, who stood firm with his resolution that armed or unarmed, he will give justice to his wife and Eddie Gumanoy’s death.

“Kung hindi kaya ng gobyerno ni Macapagal-Arroyo na ibigay ang hustisya, ang Bagong Hukbong Bayan ang magbibigay nito!” (If the government failed to dispense justice, the New People’s Army will ) Orly said.

Karapatan national secretary general Marie Hilao-Enriquez thanked Marcellana and Gumanoy’s families for “unselfishly sharing their loved ones to the masses even if it meant a lot of sacrifices.”

Meanwhile, the program’s emcee called it a “quick reaction team” when Bayan Muna representatives Satur Ocampo, Crispin Beltran, and Liza Maza rushed to Mendiola upon learning of the police attempts to stop the rally.

The program included sharing of experiences by other human rights victims in Southern Tagalog. Bibi, a five year-old Mangyan refugee from Mindoro, sang “Ang Bata,” a song depicting a child heading toward the direction of the “people’s struggle.”

Other mass leaders paid tribute to the victims during their brief speeches.

After the rally, a caravan transported the remains of Gumanoy to Sto.Tomas Batangas while Marcellana was brought to General Luna, Quezon. Bulatlat.com

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